The Outstanding MSU-IIT Alumni (TOMA) 2008 Awardees

TOMA Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Association of Iligan Institute of Technology Alumni Foundation, Incorporated (AIITAFI) and the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) Administration to MSU-IIT graduates who have made significant contribution to the society and the community.

2008 TOMA Awardees

• RYAN B. BALILI

TOMA AWARD IN CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS

Prof. Balili is a BS in Physics graduate in 2001, Summa cum laude. He was named the most outstanding DOST-SEI scholar in the Philippines in 2002. He was also selected as one of the Finalists to the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines also in the same year, 2002. Mr. Balili was also one of the first Batch of students selected by Ayala Group and Companies to participate in the Ayala Young Leaders Congress in the year 2000. His most important achievement, which earned him his TOMA is his Young Researcher Award from Physics Status Solids (Solid State Physics) Group of the United States of America in 2006 for his outstanding research in Condensed Matter Physics entitled, “Actively tuned and spatially trapped Polaritons.” He is right now pursuing his PhD in Physics at the University of Pihsburg, USA.

• JOSELITO A. UY, Phd

TOMA AWARD IN MATHEMATICS

He comes from the Mathematics Department of MSU-IIT. He developed a simple and efficient algorithm in constructing a telephone network with minimal cost, which is very helpful to Telecommunications Company establishing a communication network that is both efficient and affordable. He has various local and regional awards for Mathematics. What makes him outstanding is his three national scientific awards two of which were given by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and the other one was given by the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD-DOST). He is a scientist that our country can take pride of.

• NORBERTO MONTERONA

TOMA AWARD IN VISUAL ARTS

He is a Filipino Artist based in Canada. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Industrial Education Major in Architectural Drafting Technology. His profession includes being an illustrator, curator, mural artist, set designs, arts and crafts product developer, and events organizer. He has received various awards and grants from different parts of the world. What makes this man truly amazing are his 16 solo arts exhibitions conducted in different parts of the globe. His art works have been featured in various magazines and television shows and are now displayed in different institutes, museums, and galleries in Canada, USA, the Philippines, Australia, Hon Kong, and South Korea. One of his works is currently on display at the AIITAFI Bahay Alumni in MSU-IIT.

• BAICON C. MACARAYA

TOMA AWARD IN SOCIAL WORK

She is the Program Assistant and Head of Office of the United Nations World Food Programme in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1997. She was a former student Regent of the MSU system in 1992. She is a very strong advocate to Women Rights and Peace in Mindanao being tapped as speaker to different fora concerning the said issues. Her awards: “Rotary Centennial Service Awards for Professional Excellence” given by the Rotary International in 2005 and “Dove Bukod Tanging Filipina 2003” from the National Search for Outstanding Women in the Philipppines have greatly helped her earned her TOMA award.

• ROGELIO C. GARCIA

TOMA AWARD IN MANAGEMENT

Our sixth awardee earned his Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma in 1977. After finishing the comprehensive Management Programme from the Asian Institute of Management, he was awarded various grants for management studies courtesy of Big Time companies and societies of USA and the Middle East. He has currently thirty years of solid work experience in the fields of Camp Facilities Management, Operations and Administration, Logistics and Supply Claim Management, and Social Marketing. He is right now holding the position of Assistant Camp Manager of an American Company Flour Mideast managing and administering 6,000 people from 34 different countries addressing morals, welfare, and recreation needs.

• REYNALDO M. VEQUIZO

TOMA AWARD IN MATERIAL SCIENCE

He completed his BS and MS Physics at MSU-IIT and his PhD in Niigata University, Japan specializing in organic semi-conducting materials synthesis and technology, radiation detection, advanced inorganic semiconductors synthesis and optoelectronic device fabrication and characterization. He has published various articles in international journals in his field of specialization. This fellow has been awarded the Best Researcher in Japan and the first Filipino to be honored as Outstanding Young Researcher by the Japan Society of Applied Physics in 2006. Let us share this pride with our TOMA Awardee for Material Science.

• JOSE LACIO ZALSOS

TOMA AWARD IN PUBLIC SERVICE

He is a BSBA major in Accountancy Batch 1977. He has also a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Laws. He is the Father at the long running KASADYA Street Dancing project held annually during the Iligan Fiesta in honor of Sr. San Miguel. He is noted for his authorship of various city ordinances concerning agriculture and cooperatives being a member of the incumbent Sangguniang Panglungsod of Iligan City. The greatest impact of his career to the community is his being chairman or vice-chairman to different committees including livelihood and Cooperatives; Culture and Arts; Tourism; and Agriculture which implemented of the lives of Iligan’s urban poor. He is the only City Councilor of Iligan City who is an IITian.

2008 TOMA Meritorious Awardees

• RALPH GALAN

LITERATURE

He is a creative writer, literary critic, editor and a book reviewer. He is the Creative Writing Workshop Coordinator of the University of the Philippines Institute for Creative Writing and a contributor to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He is a two-time judge to the prestigious Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.

• MYLENE M. UY, PhD

CHEMISTRY

She is an author and co-author of several publications in Japan and a resource speaker and poster presenter in various scientific presentations in different cities in the country, in Japan and in Egypt. She is also a participant to countless National and International Conferences and Workshops in the field of chemistry.

• ADELFA C. SILOR, PhD

EDUCATION

She is the Coordinator of the MSU-IIT Licensure Examination for Teachers Review Classes which earned the College of Education as one of the Best Performing Schools in Teacher Education. She is an author of the Licensure Examination for Teachers Reviewers and a Trainor/Coach of the ROTC UNIT to various regional and national speech competitions. She is a reservist of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with a rank of Captain.